Jack Winchester was an Australian professional

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. He played for Balmain in the

New South Wales Rugby League The New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory and is a member of the Australian Rugby League Commission. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was ...

(NSWRL) competition.

Playing career

Winchester made his first grade debut for Balmain in Round 1 1938 against South Sydney at

Leichhardt Oval Leichhardt Oval is a rugby league and soccer stadium in Lilyfield, New South Wales, Australia. It is currently one of three home grounds for the Wests Tigers National Rugby League (NRL) team, along with Campbelltown Stadium and Western Sydney S ...

. Winchester immediately established himself as a regular in the Balmain side and played in the club's semi final defeat against eventual premiers

Canterbury-Bankstown Canterbury-Bankstown is a customary region of Sydney, Australia, in the south-western suburbs. The area is located around the Bankstown railway line, to the west of the St George region and to the south of the Inner West region. The suburbs o ...

. In Round 3 1939, Winchester scored his first hat-trick against North Sydney at

. The same year, Winchester was a member of the Balmain side which won the 1939 premiership defeating South Sydney 33-4 in the grand final at the

Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sports stadium in Sydney, Australia. It is used for Test cricket, Test, One Day International and Twenty20 cricket, as well as, Australian rules football and occasionally for rugby league, rugby union and as ...

. In 1940, Winchester made 7 appearances as Balmain failed to defend their premiership finishing 5th on the table. In 1941, Winchester made 9 appearances as Balmain claimed the minor premiership but were defeated in the preliminary final by eventual premiers

St George Saint George (Greek language, Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin language, Latin: Georgius, Arabic language, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christians, Christian who is venerated as a sa ...

at the

. The following season in 1942, Balmain finished second on the table but were defeated by

Eastern Suburbs Eastern Suburbs may refer to: Places *Eastern Suburbs (Mumbai), India *Eastern Suburbs (Sydney), Australia **Eastern Suburbs railway line, Sydney, Australia Sports clubs ;Association football *Eastern Suburbs AFC, Auckland, New Zealand * Eastern ...

in the semi-final. The 1943 season was a mirror of the 1942 season as Balmain again finished second but were defeated in the semi-final by St George. In his final season at Balmain, Winchester lost his place in the team and missed out on playing in the club's premiership victory over Newtown. Balmain had finished the season in 2nd place and defeated Newtown in the grand final. The rules at the time allowed for Newtown to challenge for a rematch as they finished as minor premiers. Balmain won the grand final challenge 12-8.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Winchester, Jack Balmain Tigers players Australian rugby league players Rugby league players from Sydney Rugby league wingers Rugby league centres Rugby league fullbacks Place of birth missing Year of birth missing Year of death missing Place of death missing